Blogs from Madagascar, Africa - page 28

I just wanted to write a quick blog to update everyone. We’re in the midst of midterms here on the boat. I had one exam yesterday and I have another in about an hour. I’ve also had two paper proposals due and an economics presentation to give in the last 3 days, so I’ve been super busy. Things should calm down a bit after this afternoon’s exam. We have also hit rough waters. Right now we are sailing between continental Africa and Madagascar and life is not pleasant. I can’t even explain how much the boat is rocking, but it is affecting everyone. Sea-sickness isn’t even the right term to describe it…it’s like a mass pandemonium of nauseous people. This is by far the worst it has been and I hope it ends soon…it’s hard to ... read more

Sunday 23rd December La Refuge, Tulear 14:34 (UK), 17:34 (Madagascar) I am going to write two entries today - one on my reflections of site and one on the most exciting 36 hour journey to Tulear from Andavadoaka. I am back in that town again - the town that some how sucks you and prevents you from leaving - but this time I have a flight to catch to Morondava, midway down the West coast - so this time only 38 hours here - Yay! My time on site has gone so quickly. It has been great to finally get to see the workings of BV and meet the staff, volunteers and local community that make BV what it is. There are so many aspects to think on and things I have learnt: Volunteers - they ... read more

Thursday 13th December 2007 Coco Beach, Andavadoaka 18:52 (UK), 21:52 (Madagascar) Firstly, I'd like to say hi to Fiona's dad if he is reading this. Thanks for listening in! Now for the update: After feeling like death for 2 days and having half a day completely in bed, with toilet dashes, I am better and feeling fantastic for it. Everything is great now. Once your world has been rendered insignificant due to some raging bacterial battle going on somewhere between your oesophagus and lower ileum, when it final appears again it looks amazing. I thought a walk would kill me off yesterday, but after 2 hour walk from camp to the only spot in a 40km radius with signal for mobile if started to feel remarkable better, and today have been very nearly normal. It is ... read more

Tuesday 18th December Coco Beach, Andavadoaka 18:26 (UK), 18:26 (Madagascar) Tonight was a really fantastic night at the BV camp. It is the penultimate night for the volunteers here in Andavadoaka and to see them all off the women’s association of Andavadoaka came to give us a farewell. There were at least 20 women there. It has been the first time that I have seen so many women of the village together. Normally it is the men that BV interacts with - fishermen etc. They sang and danced for us, spoke to us and then gave us a cake (with icing on - causing much excitement!) This expedition has been the first to invite the women’s association to sell products to our volunteers on a Sunday. In the farewell speech they thanked BV for the support ... read more

Numero huit Saturday 8th December 2007 Tulear - Chez Lala - still! 13:53 (UK) / 16:53 (Madagascar) A week has passed and I am still in Chez Lala. It has gone quite quickly really and I have had done a lot whilst here; meetings with ADES, with the IHSM, with BVCO past site coordinator, writing a new project proposal for the Morondava project, collecting money, spending money, trying to get some form of exercise, walking a lot, dodging lecherous men, arranging for transport, eating lychees, thinking about lychees and life (interchangeable really). On a side lecherous men note, I have decided that Saturdays are the worst as they al get drunk. Today 3 drunk men accosted men in the street, at separate occasions, one in the middle of the market, much to the amusement of the ... read more